Posted: 4 a.m.
The release of linebackers Anthony Schlegel and Roy Manning may offer a glimpse of what the Bengals plan to do with No. 1 draft pick Keith Rivers when he shows up for the start of rookie camp Friday morning.
Schlegel is one of the eight players that have started at middle linebacker since head coach Marvin Lewis arrived at the start of the 2003 season. He started five straight games in the early part of the season after Opening Day middle backer Ahmad Brooks tore his groin in the fifth quarter of the season and missed the rest of the year.
One scenario is Rivers starting at middle linebacker, moving Brooks to the strong side and keeping the team's most experienced backer on the weak side in Dhani Jones. Or, since Jones is going to call the signals, put him in the middle and keep Rivers at his collegiate spot on the weak and Brooks at strong. It looks like the two guys that have to be on the field are Jones and Rivers, which makes a move with Brooks to use his size of 6-4, 270 pounds possible.
On Thursday, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Brooks has been accused of punching a Florence, Ky., woman in the left eye. He has not been arrested, but the paper said he has been summoned to appear June 6 in Boone District Court to answer to the charge of fourth-degree misdemeanor assault. Police said their involvement was limited to explaining how to fill out a criminal summons.
